"My beloved is mine, and I am his; He pastures his flock among the lilies." (Songs of Solomon 2:16)
1. Intimacy begins with a relationship. We must accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord before we can ever walk in intimacy with Him. Salvation begins the relationship with Jesus our beloved Savior. "If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9)
2. Intimacy grows through knowledge. After we accept Jesus we must learn all about Him.We must get to know Him and that is through His Word. We began to know His personality, His works, His love, His personage and His love for us. "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen." (2 Peter 3:18)
3. Intimacy is in the Holy Spirit. Jesus sent His Spirit the Holy Spirit to indwell is us. The Holy Spirit is the counselor, helper and comforter sent by Jesus to keep us, teach us, love us, sanctify us, consecrate us, lead us, guide us, speak to us and empower us. He is the mother preparing the bride for the great wedding. "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future." (St. John 16:13)
4. Intimacy leads into total devotion. We have grown in our relationship to Jesus and recognize Him as our Savior, friend and know His love for us and ours for Him. In devotion we submit ourselves to Him as our master. We freely give our will, wants and lives to Him and accept His will for our lives. As a wife freely submits to her husband we submit to Jesus our heavenly husband. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word." (Ephesians 5:25-26)
5. Intimacy is eternal. Understanding that even after death our intimacy with Jesus is still living and strong. Our intimacy will be made complete at the heavenly wedding when the Church will be united with her husband and bridegroom Jesus the Messiah and King. "After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
And the reassuring words of Jesus, "And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)
1. Intimacy begins with a relationship. We must accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord before we can ever walk in intimacy with Him. Salvation begins the relationship with Jesus our beloved Savior. "If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9)
2. Intimacy grows through knowledge. After we accept Jesus we must learn all about Him.We must get to know Him and that is through His Word. We began to know His personality, His works, His love, His personage and His love for us. "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen." (2 Peter 3:18)
3. Intimacy is in the Holy Spirit. Jesus sent His Spirit the Holy Spirit to indwell is us. The Holy Spirit is the counselor, helper and comforter sent by Jesus to keep us, teach us, love us, sanctify us, consecrate us, lead us, guide us, speak to us and empower us. He is the mother preparing the bride for the great wedding. "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future." (St. John 16:13)
4. Intimacy leads into total devotion. We have grown in our relationship to Jesus and recognize Him as our Savior, friend and know His love for us and ours for Him. In devotion we submit ourselves to Him as our master. We freely give our will, wants and lives to Him and accept His will for our lives. As a wife freely submits to her husband we submit to Jesus our heavenly husband. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word." (Ephesians 5:25-26)
5. Intimacy is eternal. Understanding that even after death our intimacy with Jesus is still living and strong. Our intimacy will be made complete at the heavenly wedding when the Church will be united with her husband and bridegroom Jesus the Messiah and King. "After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
And the reassuring words of Jesus, "And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)
